Car-brake



(No Model.) 3 Sheet-s-Sheet 1.

H. W. HOWELL, Jr.

GARBRAKE.

No. 399,408. Patented Mer. 12, 1889.

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4MM/e (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. W. HOWELL, Jr.

GAR BRAKE.

No. 399,408. Patented Mar. 12', 1889.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

H. W. HOWELL, Jr.

GAR BRAKE.

No. 399,408. A Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

N. PETERS. Phuwmhognpher, wnsmnglon. D. c.

v"UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY HOVCELL, JR., OF ELIZABETH, NElV JERSEY.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,408, dated March 12, 1889.

Application filed February 24, 1888. Serial No. 265,202. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY lV. HOWELL, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State ot New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Car-Brakes, ot which the Following is a specitieation.

This invention relates to improvements in the method ot' operating ear-brakes simultaneously throughout an entire train consist i, ing ot a number ot' ca rs connected or coupled together in the usual manner, the brakes to be applied rapidly and eoualilly to eaehcarb)Y means ot' cables beneath the door otl each car and connected so as to t'orm one continuous K cable to be operated by a person on the loeomotive through the medium ot' a frictionelutelnas will be hmeimitter described. lt will be understood that this combination ot' devices is so arranged and constructed that though thebrakes may be quickl v and forciblyv l applied to arrest the momentum ol' a train ot cars the adjustallilityot the method of apply ing the power to the cable by means of a friction-clutclr is such as to .relieve any undue strain or sudden shock upon the brakes and to overcome the momentum ot' the cars in the 3 least possible space 'ol time with safety i thereto.

In the aectnnpairving drawings similar let ters ot' rcterenee indicat e corresponding parts in all olf the figures.

Figure l in the accompanying drawings 1 represents a car and a fragment ot' a ear prol vided with my improved method of applying the brakes thereto, the bodies of the cars being in elevation, and a central section through the trucks to show more clearly the construction and operation of the brakes. Fig. 2 rcpresents a view of a ear similar to Fig. l, showing a different arrangement of the pulleys i under which the cable passes to raise the cross-bar to applyv the brakes. ln this arrangement the lifting-pulley is connected to the cross-bar by means ot' a link, 7c, as shown, the guide-pulleys G also being arranged ditt'cri* ently. Fig. o ,represent-s plans of two trucks i and the mechanism secured thereto lFor operi ating the brakes, as shown in Fig. l. Fig. al represents a plan ot' an ordinal-5r truck :tor a i locomotive, upon the frame of which is mounted the mechanism by which the cable to be operated to applv t-he brakes throughout an entire train of ears simultai'ieously.

A in the accompanying drawings represents the bodies ot two ordinary cars mounted upon trucks B ot the usual construction, each truck being provided with my improved method ot applying the brakes.

rlhe brakes U are ot' the. ordinary i'orm ot' construction and are placed between the wheels of the truck and forced apart or out wardly against. the tread thereof, and are supported and maintained in position by means otl slotted guide-braclwts l?, secured to and proiecting downward from the lower side or floor ot' the car, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, said brakes being connected in pairs by means ol cross-bars D in the usual manner.

To etiect a simultaneous and equable application ot' these brakes to a number ol cars, a chain cable or wire rope, l, is provided to cach car, and conileeted so as to torni a continuous cable throughout the entire train, these cables being supported and guided bv 'tfrietitm-'rollers G, moun ted upon the bracket s ll7 secured to and extending downward 'from the lower side or floor ot' the car. On the cross-bars D, and between the f ri ct ion-pulleys G, which support and guide the cable E, are placed friction-pulleys l', by which the bars D are to be raised and lowered to operate the brakes. the cable E passing over the guidepulleys ("r and lueneath the lifting-pulleys I, as represented in Figs. 1,2, and Il. The brackets .ll and lil are provided with perpeiulieular slots J, through which the eross-bars D pass, in order to admit ot t-he up and down move ments ot the cross-bars D to apply the brakes, as shown. Guide-pulleys are provided near the ends oll the car to support the cable when slack and when the brakes are not in use.

.ln order to appliv the brakes toa number ot cars sinlultancously and with the required rapidity, to quickly stop a train without injury thereto, and to'compensate and relieve the brakes when too much power is applied, a friction-clutch is provided, which consists ot' a disk, N, firmly secured to the axle of a locomotive, and a disk, M, mounted loosel;T upon the same axle, this disk M having; a drum, O, around which the end of a cable is to be wound in applying the brakes` as shown in Fig. t. When more power is applied to IOO the friction-clutch than is necessary to operate the brakes sufiiciently to arrest the cars, the disks N M will simply slide over each other the same as the shoes of a brake slide over the tread of the Wheels. To move this disk M longitudinally upon the axle of a truck, in order to bring the faces of the tWo disks N M together with sufficient force to operate the cable E throughout the entire train by their friction, a steam-cylinder, P, of the proper dimensions, is provided, to the piston-rod W of Which is connected a vibrating lever, R, its opposite end forming a yoke, V, and taking into a grooved Wheel, S, secured to the end of the drum O. The end of the pistonrod YV is fitted With a coiled spring, T, of sufficient force to return the piston-head in the steamcylinder P when it is required to release the friction-disk M and Withdraw the brakes from the Wheels.

The steam-cylinder P and mechanism to operate the friction-clutch are arranged and mounted upon the locomotivetruck in any convenient manner, the steam admitted to the cylinder, and the exhaust permitted to escape therefrom by a stop-cock on its lower side, in the usual manner, the stop-cock being closed when the piston-head has been returned by the spring T to be in readiness to apply the brakes when required.

The steam-pipe to admit the steam to the cylinder P and the stop-cock by which the exhaust-steam is permitted to escape being common devices and quite familiar to mechanicians, are not shown in the drawings.

The operation of my improved mechanism for operating car-brakes simultaneously and equably throughout a train may be briefly recapitulated as follows: The cable E, of Wire rope or chain, as preferred, passing over the friction-rollers G and beneath the lifting-pulleys I, having been connected between the several cars and attached to the cable on the locomotive-truck, one end of which being at.- tached to the drum O, as shown, and the opposite end of the cable E made fast to the last car of the train, the system is complete and a continuous cable formed throughout the entire train. Then, by admitting steam to the cylinder P, the loose disk M is brought instantly into contact With the disk N, secured firmly to the axle of the truck, and by their united friction the cable is Wound around the drum O With sufficient force to move it the entire length of the train to operate the several brakes with equal force on each car.

It Will be understood that the end of the cable being made fast to the last car, and its opposite end secured to the drum O, will be straight or nearly so When t-he train is in motion, as represented;

The power applied to the friction-clutch may be regulated by the admission of more or less steam into the cylinder P. In this manner the brakes are governed to meet the requirements either to stop the train quickly or gradually. When a train is to be checked and not to be brought to a full stop, the loose friction-disk M will slide over the face of the disk N, With sufficient friction only to accomplish the purpose the same as the brakes slide over the tread of the Wheels.

If desired, an air-cylinder might be employed, instead of the steam-cylinder P, to operate the friction-clutch, though it is believed that a steam-cylinder would be more eective in operating the brakes throughout a train of cars composed of a large number.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a steam-brake for railway-ears, in combination with the friction-clutch, drum S, and cable NV, extending from car to car, the steamcylinder P, and shifting-lever R, to operate the friction-clutch to apply the brakes, and

spring T, to disengage the friction-clutch to release the brakes, the stationary frictionpulleys G and movable pulley I, to operate the shoes C, and slotted bracket to support and guide the roller I in its up and down movements, substantially as herein set forth.

H. NV. HONVELL, JR. WTitnesses:

EDMOND J. BUTLER, S. WV. VooD. 

